Polite Pub, Hanoi

Yeah, an expat bar. Hanoi is one of the most exciting cities in the world, but it can wear you down. I loved dropping into the Polite Club at night after a day of exporing the Old Quarter and surroundings. Nice feel, AC, good music, and the friendliest staff and patrons I have found in Vietnam. There is a strange competition between the Tiger and Calrsberg beer companies, where waitresses dressed in company uniform, seem to compete for their respective companies, patron by patron, beer by beer. No sooner does your empty Tiger Beer glass hit the table, the Carlsberg girl is there offering you her beer. But they are very friendly and once you get the idea (I alternate), they seem to have a sense of humor about it too. Be careful of those bar peanuts though. Very addicting.